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The Michigan state university has decided to hike its fees by 6.9%. The annual increase in fees for student is around $778. The raise in fees is just below the 7% limit that would have resulted in a drastic reduction in the amount of financial aid received from the state government. However, the University is still facing a shortfall of $18 million despite raising fees.
Michigan is popular amongst students for its research oriented approach and the chance to participate in international projects. Quality of education is high and the University attracts the best students from all over the world. However, critics have pointed out that the increase in fees raises the overall fees and overall cost of education to a very high level. There are fears that the popularity of the University may take a hit as students find that cost of education is far too high despite excellent quality.
The Board has also announced an increase of 10 % in its contribution to student financial aid. In theory, this should ensure that the students deserving of financial aid do not have to pay the excessively high fees. However, there is the risk of the students falling through the gap.
The extra money will be used to spruce up infrastructure and ensure that the quality of education and research remains high as has been the reputation of the university. The Board of Trustees of the University complained of helplessness because of the significant reduction in financial aid that they are receiving from the government. They are now forced to rely on external donors to run the University.
